Reinforced separable fasteners



Jan. 14, 1958 L. H.-MORIN 2,819,504

REINFORCED SEPARABLE FASTENERS Filed May 24, 1952 ATTORNE llflnited rates atnt REINFQRCED SEPARABLE FASTENERS Louis H. Morin, Bronx, N. Y.

Application May 24, 1952, Serial No; 289,770

Claims. (Cl. 24-26511) This invention relates to separable fasteners of the type and kind comprising a pair of stringers with scoops spaced longitudinally of the stringers with a slider movable along the scoops to couple and uncouple the same. More particularly, the invention deals with a fastener of this type and kind, reinforced by the inclusion of a strand, such, for example, as a cable along the edge of the stringer and to which the scoops are directly coupled. Still more particularly, the invention deals with a fastener of the type and kind which is further reinforced and strengthened by the inclusion of extended heels or hearing portions on the scoops for protecting the stringers against wear in movement of a slider along the stringers.

The novel features of the invention will be best understood from the following description, when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed and, in which, the separate parts are designated by suitable reference char actors in each of the views and, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a separable fastener made according to my invention, with part of the construction broken away and with parts in section.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 showing only one stringer and scoop and part of a slider arranged thereon.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing only one end portion of a fastener and illustrating a modification; and

Fig. 4- is a section on the line 4-4- of Fig. 3.

My invention deals primarily with the reinforcement of separable fastener stringers to the end of disposing at the edge portion of the stringer tape a reinforcing strand or element of any type or kind, that is to say, an element having characteristics that would, in some manner or form, be different from that of the tape employed. some instances, the degree of this reinforcement can be nominal; whereas, in other instances, a fairly substantial reinforcement is desirable and this reinforcement may be utilized as a means for anchorage of the fastener to the support, or supports, and further as a means for forming what is commonly referred to as bottom stops or bottom couplings firmly uniting the stringers at such ends of the fasteners.

In illustrating one adaptation of my invention, I have shown, in the accompanying drawing, the fastener employing a wire or cable as the reinforcing element or strand employed. In Fig. 1, 10 and 11 show a pair of stringer tapes having common scoops 12, 12 fixed to one edge portion thereof, the scoops being preferably of the double action type, that is to say, having common male and female couplings on opposed upper and lower edges thereof so as to facilitate coupling engagement between the scoops of opposed stringers, regardless of the arrangement of the stringers one upon the other. As these types of scoops are well known, no specific description will be given, except in defining the coupling ends generally by the reference characters 13, 13'.

The coupling end of one scoop 13 is shown in enlarged detail in Fig. 2 of the drawing and this scoop has a thick mounting end portion 14 arranged upon the outer edge portion 10 of the tape 10 and an inwardly extending reduced heel or hearing portion 15, as clearly noted in Fig. 2 of the drawing.

Disposed within the mounting end portion 14 at the outer edge of the portion Ill is a cable 16. Noting Fig. 1 of the drawing, the corresponding cable of stringer 11 is shown at 16 and, in said figure, the heel or bearing portions of the scoops are designated by the reference character 15'.

It will be understood that, in forming the stringers, the scoops 12, 12' will be mounted directly upon the strands or cables 16, 16' in attachment of the scoops to stringer tapes 1t) and 11. In the construction shown, die cast scoops are illustrated and, in forming these scoops, the material of the casting extends into the interstices of the blade of the fabric tapes 10 and 11 to establish firm anchorage of the scoops thereon and, when cable type of strand made from a multiplicity of small wires is employed, here again, the material of the scoops will extend into the grooves between the independent wires in establishing a secure mounting of the scoops on the strand or cable.

In Fig. 1 of the drawing, I have shown the ends of the cable 16, 16 extending beyond the ends of the tapes and having eye couplings as at 17, 17' which can be utilized in securing the ends of the cables to supports to which the fastener stringers are attached. This is particularly desirable when the stringers are used in what may be said to be heavy duty uses. In other instances, the ends of the strands can be attached to the supports by stitching or in any other desired manner.

In Fig. l, I have shown at 18 a slider movable along the stringers to couple and uncouple the scoops 12, 12', the web or frog of the slider being indicated at 19. In Fig. 2 of the drawing, I have shown in part opposed walls 20 and 21 of the slider having the inturned flanges 22 and 23, the latter being employed to form the channel structure facilitating coupling engagement of the stringers, as is well know in this art.

It will appear from Fig. 2 of the drawing that the flanges 22 and 23 are disposed over the heel or bearing portions 15 and will also be disposed over the heel or bearing portions 15 so as to take-up wear and prevent stresses 0r strains to the fabric or other stringer tapes 1d and 11 employed. In addition to providing the wearing surface, the heels 15, 15' extend the scoops to a greater degree on the tapes establishing a greater anchorage thereon.

At the lower portion of the fastener, a transverse coupling 24 will be employed to form what. is generally referred to as a bottom stop checking movement of the slider 13 in one direction on the stringers and this coupling or stop 24 will be clamped on or cast around the strands or cables 16, 16, as clearly shown.

Considering Fig. 1, it will also appear that a top stop 25 is provided on one of the stringers to check closing movement of the slider 18 on the stringers, this stop being in the form of a disc disposed between adjacent end scoops of the stringer 10 and secured in position by a pin as.

In Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawing, I have shown a form of modified stringer coupling, wherein a pair of stringers 27, 27 are united in a bottom coupling 28 which may be used in conjunction with a bottom stop 24, similar to the stop 24.

In Fig. 3 of the drawing, it will be apparent that the stringers 2'7, 27 of the fastener are formed from a single stringer length, wherein common scoops 29, 29' are attached to a common strand or cable 30 and, in forming the fastener, the tape which forms the stringers 27, 27 is severed by a pinking cut, as indicated at 31 and the strand or cable 30 is formed into the loop 32, to which the fastener 28 is attached. The fastener 23 comprises two discs 33 and note Fig. 4 of the drawing, drawn together by a screw 35 to envelope the curved end 32 of the strand or cable.

From the foregoing descriptions of Figs. 3 and 4, it will be apparent that separable fasteners of the kind under consideration can be formed from a single stringer tape, wherein adjacent pairs of stringer lengths a continuous tape can be cut, as described, and folded to bring the pairs of stringer lengths into coupling engagement with each other in the manner described. It will be understood, in this connection, that the scoops such as 29, 29 must be of the double action type, in other words, must have the common male and female coupling portions on upper and lower surfaces thereof, in order to establish the coupling engagement between the stringers.

It will be understood that the reinforcing strands may be regarded as secondary stringer portions and these secondary stringer portions can be of any desired structure and cross-sectional contour, depending entirely upon the use to which the fastener is to be applied. in some instances, particularly when the strand is formed of wire or cable, a firm mounting is provided between adjacent scoops but this mounting is disposed in close proximity to the coupling end portions of the scoops; whereas, the major part of the mounting end portions of the scoops are fixed to a flexible and relatively yieldable material, thus enabling the scoops to flex and bend in the use of the stringers and in coupling and uncoupling the stringers.

It will be understood that, with the present construction, headless tapes are employed and the showing of the strand in section in Fig. 2 diagrammatically illustrates, in part, the multiple strand, wire or cable. It will also be apparent from a consideration of Fig. 4 that the screw 35 is broken away and this screw may be used as a means of anchorage of the fastener to a support.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A separable fastener comprising stringers, each stringer comprising a tape and a reinforcing strand disposed at one edge of the tape, scoops coupled with the tape and strand at longitudinally spaced intervals, an end stop mounted on said strands of a pair of stringers in coupling said stringers together, said reinforcing strands projecting beyond said stop and the opposed end of the stringers, and the ends of said strands having coupling members fixed thereto.

2. A separable fastener comprising stringers, each stringer comprising a tape and a reinforcing strand disposed at one edge of the tape, scoops coupled with the tape and strand at longitudinally spaced intervals, an end stop mounted on said strands of a pair of stringers in coupling said stringers together, said reinforcing strands projecting beyond said stop and the opposed ends of the stringers, the ends of said strands having coupling members fixed thereto, and that part of the scoops extending onto the stringer tapes forming heel portions reinforcing that part of the tapes over which the slider edges operate.

3. In a separable fastener comprising a pair of tapes, a non-extensible, flexible metal strand associated with each tape, and disposed outwardly of the outer edge of said tape, said strand being separate from said tape, each tape and associated strand having die cast scoops secured thereto at longitudinally spaced intervals, each scoop having a pair of mounting end portions extending onto and engaging the strand and tape and also having a coupling end portion extending outwardly of the strand, said tape lying in a plane which intersects said strand and passes longi-v tudinally through said scoops, the attachment of said scoops to the strand and tape having the characteristics of that produced by die casting the scoops thereon, the improvement comprising a top stop at one end portion of the fastener, 21 bottom stop at the other end portion of the fastener engaging both of said strands, said strands at an end portion of the fastener terminating in free ends which extend beyond the stop thereat each of said free ends having a separate anchoring means independent of and disposed beyond said last-mentioned stop for anchoring said free ends to a support, anchoring means at the opposite end portion of the fastener independent of and disposed beyond the stop thereat for anchoring said opposite end portion to a support, and said strands of the fastener protecting the tapes against longitudinal stretchmg.

4. The separable fastener of claim 3 in which each of said metal strands is a cable comprising a plurality of intertwisted wires.

5. The separable fastener of claim 3 in which each of said scoop mounting end portions has at its inner end an extension of reduced width.

6. The separable fastener of claim 3 in which said strands at both end portions of the fastener terminate in free ends which extend beyond said stops, each of said free ends having a separate anchoring means.

7. A separable fastener comprising a pair of tapes, a nonextensible, flexible metal strand associated with each tape and disposed outwardly of the outer edge of said tape, said strand being separate from said tape, each tape and associated strand having die cast scoops secured thereto at longitudinally spaced intervals, said tape lying in a plane which intersects said' strand and passes longitudinally through said scoops, the attachment of said scoops to the strand and tape having the characteristics of that produced by die casting the scoops thereon, said strands of the fastener protecting the tapes against longitudinal stretching, clamp means engaging said strands at one end portion of the fastener and comprising a pair of detachable members, each member engaging both said strands, and means for holding said members in engagement with said strands.

8. The separable fastener of claim 7 in which said holding means has a portion for securing said one end portion of the fastener to a support.

9. The separable fastener of claim 8 in which said strands at the other end portion of the fastener terminate in free ends, each said free end having a separate anchoring means.

10. The separable fastener of claim 9 in which each said metal strand is a cable comprising a plurality of intertwisted wires.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain Sept. 5, 1945 

